The Saint Xavier men’s basketball team traveled to Chicago State University this past Saturday on February 11 to take on the division one opponent at the Jones Convention Center in Chicago.
The Cougars lost 91-67 in a high scoring affair.
The first half brought out the best in the Chicago State offense, taking a commanding 55-30 halftime lead. SXU struggled defensively to keep up with the fast pace Chicago State offense, giving up several runs including a 10-0 run in the middle of the first half.
The second half was more competitive as the Cougars outscored their opponent 37-36. The offense was more technically sound and the defense stepped up in a big way.
SXU shot 41.5% from the floor and 32.1% from three, a whopping 10% lower than the season average on both accounts.
Overall, it was a tough game for our Cougars. What is usually a high powered and efficient offense was limited against tough competition.
Chicago State advanced their home record to 6-0 on the year.
Other games earlier in the week included wins over Calumet College of St. Joseph and Cardinal Stritch University, both CCAC conference opponents.
SXU traveled to Calumet College on Saturday February 4 and won a competitive 83-73 game. They struggled to knock down threes, making just 27.8% of their shots but shot 51.8% overall.
Senior forward, Jack Halverson, led the team with 22 points and 5 steals. Junior forward, Kevin Bishop, continued his dominance in the paint catching a team high 6 rebounds.
Their other game this past week took place on Wednesday February 8 and was a more lopsided affair with the Cougars pulling away 87-63.
Star senior guard, Jaeden King, missed just three shots the entire game and scored 26 total points. He looked locked in the moment he took the floor whether it was scoring, passing, or rebounding.
SXU did not miss a single free throw attempt in the game which is just the fourth time in program history such a feat has occurred. (Minimum 10 attempts)
Despite the loss to Chicago State, the Cougars have been rolling all season long. Since beginning 0-2, SXU has advanced their record to 21-6 which is their first 20 win season since the 2019-2020 season.
The team has also received votes in the NAIA top 25 coaches poll which puts them on the cusp of being a top team in the nation. They are also in prime position for the CCAC conference title.
SXU plays their last regular season game on Saturday, Feb. 18, in Bourbonnais, Illinois. They will be taking on Olivet Nazarene University, scheduled for a 3pm start.
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